How to Recover From Ear Surgery

Large ears can be a source of angst and embarrassment, especially for children. Unlike other forms of cosmetic surgery, ear surgery (also known as otoplasty) is performed on both children and adults.

Things You'll Need

• Soft pillow
• Headbands provided by your doctor

Instructions

Recover From Ear Surgery

1. Wear the special headbands given to you by your doctor once your bandages are removed. These headbands need to be worn for several weeks to help make sure that your ears heal in a way that gives you the look you seek. Take special care to wear your headbands at night, since your ears are most likely to lose their corrected shape as you sleep.

2. Stay positive. Your ears may be larger than you'd hoped in the days just after your surgery, but know that this is merely a side effect of swelling. In a few days, the swelling will subside, and the size of your ears will diminish.

3. Sleep on a soft pillow as you recover from ear surgery. Be careful not to lie directly on your ears.

4. Wait before you shampoo. It's recommended that you abstain from shampooing for 5 to 7 days following surgery.

5. Elevate your head as you sleep. This can help prevent and reduce swelling.

6. Keep a cool head. Bandages and headbands can make your ears and head hot and uncomfortable. If your ear surgery is done when it's warm outside, make sure that your recovery area is air-conditioned for optimum comfort.

7. Use your hair to camouflage bruising. If you have long hair, choose a hairstyle that allows you to disguise the side effects of your procedure during the recovery period.

Tips & Warnings

• It usually takes about 6 weeks to fully recover from otoplasty. However, adults should be able to go back to work after a few days. Children usually need at least a week of recovery time before being sent back to school.

• Common side effects of ear surgery include minor bruising and aching or throbbing sensations in your ears. You may also experience a great deal of swelling in the days immediately following the procedure.

• Don't use blow dryers as you recover from otoplasty, or any other devices that can subject your ears to extreme heat or cold. Your ears will be quite numb in the days following your surgery. If you use a blow dryer, for example, you run the risk of burning yourself, since your ears won't be sensitive enough to let you know that this damage is occurring.

• Contact your doctor immediately in the event that you experience complications such as infection, prolonged swelling and bleeding, loosened or popped sutures, or hearing loss.